THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS
By JEFF BOBO
jbobo@timesnews.net
Church Hill Mayor Dennis Deal, center, presents a plaque honoring the 145th anniversary of the Lyons Chapel A.M.E. Church, to the current pastor, the Rev. Joseph Comage, right, and associated minister and lifetime member James Leeper, on Tuesday.
CHURCH HILL — The public is invited to help the Lyons Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church in the New Canton community of Hawkins County celebrate its 145th anniversary next month.
Newly freed slaves who bought land from their former masters settled in the New Canton community near Church Hill after the Civil War.
The church is named for one of those freed slaves, Henry L. Lyons, who according to legend, saved his money throughout his life to pay for his own freedom at the age of 57. He also reportedly paid for the freedom of many other slaves and bought land.
To this day many descendants of those freed slaves still live in the area.
Founded in 1869, Lyons Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church is among their oldest churches.
On Tuesday evening, the Church Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen signed a proclamation honoring the Lyons Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church’s 145th anniversary.
Mayor Dennis Deal also presented a plaque to associate minister and lifetime member James Leeper and current pastor, the Rev. Joseph Comage.
The plaque reads, “The members of Lyons Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church of New Canton, for being source of both religious and civic pride, and faithfully serving our community for 145 years.”
Deal added, “I have been to that church many times, and the people are very gracious. I’ve eaten breakfast there, and they’re really an asset to our community.”
The official church anniversary celebration is March 25th at 3 p.m., and Comage said the public is invited.
“We have the best cooks in the county,” Comage said. “Come dine with us and worship with us.”
Comage added, “I have been at Lyons Chapel for the past two years, and one of my associate ministers, Minister Leeper, has been there many years. This is his boyhood church, and I’m proud of the work that he’s done there, and I’m proud of the people there. As I tell the congregation, I count it a privilege to be the pastor of that church and to be in this community, and we continue to ask God’s blessings and your prayers for us.”
